Memorial Day Services
Prairie du Chien
The annual Memorial Day Program at the Ft. Crawford Military Cemetery will begin at around 10:45 a.m. Monday, May 30.
The program will start with an invocation by Pastor Andy Doll, of the Bible Baptist Church. The Boy Scouts will perform a flag raising ceremony, followed by the National Anthem, led by the Prairie du Chien High School band. The Cub Scouts will lead the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Gettysburg Address will then be read by Prairie Christian Academy student Aiden Copsey. Another musical selection from the high school band will follow. PCA student Nichole Doll will then recite “In Flanders Field.”
The morning’s speaker, giving the Memorial Day address, will be Derrick Van Orden, who is retired from the Navy.
Concluding the event, the Prairie du Chien Honor Guard will do a rifle salute and play “Taps.” Pastor Doll will then offer a closing prayer.
In the case of inclement weather, the Memorial Day program will take place inside the Prairie du Chien High School Performing Arts Center.
After the program at the Ft. Crawford Military Cemetery, the PdC Honor Guard will visit all the cemeteries and the veterans memorials at the courthouse and Old Rock School.
Bloomington
The Bloomington-Glen Haven American Legion Memorial Day ceremonies will be observed on Monday, May 30. All veterans, civic groups and children are encouraged to participate.
At Bloomington, the American Legion will lead a parade from the Bloomington fire house through Main Street and into the Bloomington Cemetery at 11:30 a.m.
Prior to that, the memorial services for outlying cemeteries will be as follows: 8 a.m. Blake’s Prairie, 8:15 Lumpkin, 8:30 Scott, 8:45 Goeckel, 9 a.m. Glen Haven levee, 10 a.m. Charlotte, 10:15 Ramsey, 10:45 Dodge, 11 a.m. Providence, 11:30 Bloomington Firehouse, 11:45 Bloomington Cemetery.
A picnic lunch for all veterans and their families will follow at the American Legion Hall in Bloomington. For further information, contact John Horkheimer at 608-994-2872.
Wauzeka
The Wauzeka community Memorial Day celebration will kick off with a luminary observance at the Wauzeka Cemetery, Sunday, May 29, at 8 p.m. This is a beautiful, reflective way to honor those who fought for our country.
The annual parade will be Monday, May 30, at 9:30 a.m. Lineup will start in the Village Park at 9 a.m. All are invited to participate and show their patriotism.
Following, around 10 a.m., the Memorial Day Program with student Americanism speeches, musical selections and remembrance of local veterans will take place inside the new gym at Wauzeka-Steuben School. A chicken BBQ will also take place, starting at 11 a.m. at Village Park. Ball games will happen all weekend as well, beginning Sunday.
Guttenberg
Guttenberg area residents will pay tribute to veterans both living and dead at the community’s annual Memorial Day program on Monday, May 30, at 10 a.m., at the Guttenberg Area Veterans Memorial in Ingleside Park. This year’s observance will be similar to last year’s—there will be no parade, but a short program is planned.
Veterans should meet at the memorial at 9:30 a.m. Color bearers and the firing squad should assemble west of the monument. The band will stand behind and north of the monument.
Dan Murray will serve as master of ceremonies, and Legion Chaplain Barbara Arthur will give the invocation. Murray will announce the Service Person of the Year, who will have the honor of placing the wreath at the monument. The firing squad will give the traditional salute for the dead, followed by “Taps” by Craig Tuecke. The Clayton Ridge High School band will play the national anthem. Quilts of Valor made by local quilters will be presented to military veterans as announced by Rosalie Kickbush. The program will close with a benediction by Barbara Arthur.
McGregor/Marquette
Members of American Legion Post 267 of McGregor and Post 305 of Marquette will honor the memory of all deceased military men and women on Monday, May 30, with a series of special events.
Families, friends and visitors are encouraged to attend a brief memorial service at St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in McGregor at 10 a.m. The official Memorial Day program will be at 11 a.m. near the Avenue of Flags at Pleasant Grove Cemetery, McGregor.
This year’s events include two special presentations: Mariah Moser, daughter of Jonathon and Cheri Moser, will deliver the Gettysburg Address, and Mattie Hallberg, daughter of Jason Becker and Janet Hallberg, will recite the poem “In Flanders Field.” Both will be presented with the American Legion Oratory Award. These students were nominated and selected by a group of their teachers.
Lt. Col. (retired) Beth Shafer from Waukon will deliver the keynote address. Shafer worked as a personnel office, C-130 instructor pilot and a liaison officer in the Air Force and Air Forces Reserve. She retired in 2012 as a senior pilot with over 2,700 hours.
The week prior to the Memorial Day program, Legion members and volunteers will place flags on veteran graves, with special recognition given to those killed in combat.
On Friday, May 27, Post 267 is sponsoring a Rooster Andy’s Chicken BBQ in the parking lot of Nelson True Value in Prairie du Chien, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All proceeds will support local veteran programs. Anyone interested should contact McGregor Legion members to purchase tickets in advance.
